Need help configuring a wired and wireless SOHO

[alpakman]

Looking for help in setting up a wired and wireless SOHO.

Here's what I have currently:
One desktop running Win 98 SE connected to the internet via phone line and internal modem.

Here's what I want to do:
I want to be able to share that existing internet connection with 2 laptops running Win2000 via wireless.

So...
I will have one wired system and 2 wireless all accessing a shared internet connection that is dialed up by the desktop system.

Question:
How do I do this as inexpsnsively as possible? What equipment will I need? I do not want to upgrade the OS of the desktop (it will still be running Win98 SE).

Thanks...

[killroy]

For Win98 I found WinGate a powerfull windows 98 compatible software router. But any software router will do. Be warned though, I found them complex to set up and I had to spend much time learning before everything worked.

SN

[trillianjedi]

Killroy - to do that, do you need two wireless network card's in the Wind98 "gateway" desktop though?

Personally I would just plug a wireless access point into the Win98 Desktop's network card. They are pretty cheap now.

Also, if you get another laptop and need three on there, it's all ready to go.

TJ

[alpakman]

TJ...can you elaborate? How does that work with the desktop network card connected to the wireless access? Would I need special software to have them all share the same internet connection?
Thanks...
A

[trillianjedi]

Nothing special required.

You just plug the wireless access point into the desktop PC's network card - you have Win98 already set to share internet connection. It may or may not require a cross-over cable depending on whether or not the wireless access point auto-detects.

You may need a wireless access point that allows another machine on the network to be the DHCP server. I think that Win98's internet connection sharing requires *it* to be the DHCP server.

Apart from that it should be pretty straightforward. This is no different to having a standard hub or switch with the desktop connected to the switch and the wireless access point also connected to the switch. You just take the switch out of the equation as you won't need one.

TJ

PS I can't answer your other question - will you need to upgrade the Win98 OS - as I don't know. Have never tried it.

If you're using ADSL, there's some pretty cheap wireless access points around that have built-in ADSL modems and a built in wires switch/hub also. That might be an all-in-one solution worth investigating.

[edited by: trillianjedi at 6:34 pm (utc) on Sep. 24, 2003]

[alpakman]

Hey...very cool! Thanks much!
A